Mahle Acquires Transmission Specialist

Mahle says the acquisition will expand its expertise in the powertrain as a whole to include the transmission, a key component of the integrated drive systems being increasingly used by electric vehicles.

Automotive supplier Mahle acquires ZG-Zahnräder und Getriebe, a transmission specialist based in Eching, near Munich, Germany. Details of the agreement and the purchase price are not disclosed.

Mahle says in a news release the acquisition will expand its powertrain expertise to include the transmission, a key component of the integrated drive systems being increasingly used by electric vehicles.

Integrated drive systems have advantages over individual modules, such as the drive motor, transmission, or power electronics, Mahle says. The systems’ components are ideally coordinated, their construction can be more compact and they can be used more flexibly in different vehicle types, the company says.

“The acquisition is another important step in the expansion of Mahle’s product portfolio and on its path to become a systems provider for all powertrain technologies,” says Jörg Stratmann, Mahle CEO and management board chairman.

ZG-Zahnräder und Getriebe has particular expertise in state-of-the-art gearing technology, Mahle says. The company was founded in 2008 as a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich and has about 40 employees supporting automakers and suppliers throughout the development process.